DON’T BE A STONER…
BE A TRANSFORMER!
John 8:1-11
Introduction:
I want to begin a two-part message today entitled: “Don’t be a stoner… Be a transformer!”
Really the thrust of these two messages is going to center on how we in our lives respond to the Lord Jesus Christ.
In the Word of God, during the ministry of Christ, (as we have seen all summer), people were not like most Americans today. Today many people will hear the name of “God” or “Jesus” and not really think anything of it – dismiss it as someone cussing.
Not so when Jesus walked this earth – people RESPONDED to HIM!
John 8:1-11 1Jesus went unto the mount of Olives. 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them. 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
1.) THE CONTEXT
I KNOW THAT I MAY SOUND LIKE A BROKEN RECORD ON THIS POINT – IT SEEMS THAT IT IS ALWAYS THE FIRST POINT I MAKE, BUT REALLY, IT IS SOOOOOO… SIGNIFICANT WHEN READING THE WORD OF GOD!
THIS PASSAGE REALLY BRINGS TO LIGHT HOW INCREDIBLY SIGNIFICANT CONTEXT IS WHEN READING GOD’S WORD – CHECK OUT VS. 1
John 8:1 1Jesus went unto the mount of Olives.
THIS VERSE DOESN’T EVEN MAKE SENSE WITHOUT READING THE VERSES THAT PRECEDE IT AND GRABBING THE CONTEXT OF WHAT GOD IS COMMUNICATING TO US HERE:
John 7:45-53 45Then came the officers to the chief priests and Pharisees; and they said unto them, Why have ye not brought him? 46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man. 47Then answered them the Pharisees, Are ye also deceived? 48Have any of the rulers or of the Pharisees believed on him? 49But this people who knoweth not the law are cursed. 50Nicodemus saith unto them, (he that came to Jesus by night, being one of them,) 51Doth our law judge any man, before it hear him, and know what he doeth? 52They answered and said unto him, Art thou also of Galilee? Search, and look: for out of Galilee ariseth no prophet. 53And every man went unto his own house.
THIS WHOLE CONTEXT IN CHAPTER 7 IS AT THE CONCLUSION OF THE FEAST OF THE TABERNACLES. JESUS HAS BEEN IN THE TEMPLE TEACHING THE PEOPLE, AND THE PEOPLE ARE BEGINNING TO UNDERSTAND WHO HE IS!
John 7:31 31And many of the people believed on him, and said, When Christ cometh, will he do more miracles than these which this man hath done?
THESE CHIEF PRIESTS AND PHARISEES ARE NOT PLANNING ON BEING UPSTAGED BY ANYONE, LET ALONE SOME GALILEAN.
I REALLY WANT TO FOCUS ON THE WAY THEY RECEIVED AND RESPONDED TO THE LORD JESUS CHRIST. THEY HAVEN’T SEEN THE LAST OF HIM!
John 8:2 2And early in the morning he came again into the temple, and all the people came unto him; and he sat down, and taught them.
AS A MATTER OF FACT, THERE HE IS AGAIN, IN THE TEMPLE THE NEXT DAY. ONCE AGAIN DRAWING AND TEACHING “ALL” THE PEOPLE.
2.) THE CONVICTION
SEE, THE SCRIBES AND PHARISEES NEED TO COME UP WITH SOMETHING CREATIVE! THEIR SHIP IS SINKING – EVEN THEIR OWN PEOPLE – (NICODEMUS) ARE STARTING TO BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS WHO HE SAID HE WAS!
THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER JUST TO TAKE THIS MAN AND DO AS THEY PLEASED, OR THEY WOULD HAVE TAKEN HIM THE DAY BEFORE. THEY HAVE TO TRICK HIM – TO BRING FALSE ACCUSATION AGAINST HIM – SOMETHING!!!
SO THEY ORGANIZE A LITTLE LYNCH MOB AND BRING ONE CONVICTED OF ADULTRY TO HIM.
John 8:3-9 3And the scribes and Pharisees brought unto him a woman taken in adultery; and when they had set her in the midst, 4They say unto him, Master, this woman was taken in adultery, in the very act. 5Now Moses in the law commanded us, that such should be stoned: but what sayest thou? 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not. 7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground. 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
CHECK THESE GUYS OUT: WHERE IS JESUS RIGHT NOW?
(BIBLE TELLS US THAT HE IS IN THE TEMPLE TEACHING)
THEY BRING THIS ADULTRESS IN AND ASK JESUS TO PASS JUDGEMENT ON HER – RIGHT IN THE MIDST OF ALL THE PEOPLE – IN A PLACE THAT JESUS SAID WAS TO BE A “HOUSE OF PRAYER” (Matthew 21:13)
NOTE WHAT THEY CALL HIM – “MASTER” (RIGHT)
AND THEN THEY OFFEND THE VERY LAW THAT THEY ARE TRYING TO USE TO CONDEMN JESUS BY ONLY BRINGING ONE OF THE TWO PARTIES INVOLVED IN THE TRANSGRESSION.
Leviticus 20:10 10And the man that committeth adultery with another man’s wife, even he that committeth adultery with his neighbour’s wife, the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.
Deuteronomy 22:22 22If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.
( WHERE IS THE OTHER PARTY? )
THEY ARE WILLING TO KILL THIS LADY – COMPLETELY OFFEND AND PERVERT THE LAW THEY ARE CLAIMING TO UPHOLD – JUST TO GET RID OF JESUS.
John 8:6 6This they said, tempting him, that they might have to accuse him. But Jesus stooped down, and with his finger wrote on the ground, as though he heard them not.
HE WAS DOOMED EITHER WAY: IF HE SAID STONE HER – THERE IS A GREAT CHANCE THE ROMANS WOULD STEP IN FOR ENCITING AN UNAPPROVED EXECUTION.
IF HE SAID LET HER GO – HE HAS NOW BECOME A LAW-BREAKER.
SO GET CHECK JESUS OUT – HE COMPLETELY IGNORES THEM!
A GREAT LESSON TO BE LEARNED THERE BY ALL OF US WHO ARE ANTAGONIZED AND TORMENTED BY OTHERS!
RIGHT HERE HE IS DOMONSTRATING WHAT PAUL WROTE TO TIMOTHY AND TITUS INSPIRED BY THE HOLY SPIRIT OF GOD.
2 Timothy 2:23 23But foolish and unlearned questions avoid, knowing that they do gender strifes.
Titus 3:9 9But avoid foolish questions, and genealogies, and contentions, and strivings about the law; for they are unprofitable and vain.
INSTEAD OF FALLING INTO THEIR LITTLE TRAP, HE JUST STOOPS DOWN AND STARTS WRITING ON THE GROUND.
{No one really knows what it is that Jesus wrote on the ground}
The Bible never gives us this information, but it is interesting to cross reference this episode here with a little passage tucked away in Jeremiah.
Jeremiah 17:12-13 12A glorious high throne from the beginning is the place of our sanctuary. 13O LORD, the hope of Israel, all that forsake thee shall be ashamed, and they that depart from me shall be written in the earth, because they have forsaken the LORD, the fountain of living waters.
JUST A LITTLE FOOD FOR THOUGHT – I WONDER IF HE WAS WRITING SOME NAMES.
ONE THING ABOUT THESE GUYS – THEY WERE PERSISTENT WITH THEIR AGENDA!
John 8:7-8 7So when they continued asking him, he lifted up himself, and said unto them, He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone at her. 8And again he stooped down, and wrote on the ground.
THAT IS WHERE THE CONVICTION CHANGES.
John 8:9 9And they which heard it, being convicted by their own conscience, went out one by one, beginning at the eldest, even unto the last: and Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst.
THEY HAVE WENT FROM BEING THE “CONVICTORS” TO BEING THE “CONVICTEES”!
THEY LEAVE BEGINNING FROM OLDEST TO YOUNGEST – DROPPING THEIR STONES (IF THEY ALREADY HAD THEM) AND THEIR INTENTIONS OF STONING THIS WOMAN.
3.) THE CONDEMNATION
John 8:10-11 10When Jesus had lifted up himself, (2nd time) and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.
NOTICE HER RESPONSE TO HIS QUESTION: HATH NO “MAN” CONDEMNED THEE?
SHE SAYS: NO “MAN” LORD. BUT SHE KNEW SHE WASN’T STANDING BEFORE ANY ORDINARY “MAN” – SHE WAS STANDING BEFORE “THE LORD”
John 7:46 46The officers answered, Never man spake like this man.
HERE SHE FINDS HERSELF FACE TO FACE WITH THE GOD AND JUDGE OF THE UNIVERSE – THE ONLY ONE WORTHY TO JUDGE HIS CREATION, AND BECAUSE HE KNOWS HER HEART, HE PARDONS HER SAYING: GO AND “SIN” NO MORE.
NO CONDEMNATION – FOR HER AT LEAST – BUT THIS IS WHERE THE PLOT THICKENS AND THINGS REALLY START TO GET CRAZY!
HE SHOWS THIS INCREDIBLE AMOUNT OF MERCY AND GRACE TO THIS SINFUL ADULTRESS – AND THEN HE TURNS BACK TO THE PHARISEES:
John 8:12-13 12Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. 13The Pharisees therefore said unto him, Thou bearest record of thyself; thy record is not true.
NOW IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TALK ABOUT CONDEMNATION – THERE ARE FEWER PASSAGES IN THE WORD OF GOD MUCH STRONGER!
John 8:23-25 23And he said unto them, Ye are from beneath; I am from above: ye are of this world; I am not of this world. 24I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins. 25Then said they unto him, Who art thou? And Jesus saith unto them, Even the same that I said unto you from the beginning.
John 8:43-45 43Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it. 45And because I tell you the truth, ye believe me not.
JESUS, AFTER SHOWING THIS ADULTRESS INCREDIBLE MERCY AND GRACE, POURS OUT INDIGNATION AND CONDEMNATION ON THESE RELIGIOUS LEADERS WHO REFUSED TO ACCEPT HIM FOR WHO HE WAS.
THE CHAPTER CLOSES:
John 8:58-59 58Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I am. 59Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.
THE AMAZING THING ABOUT THIS: THIS IS EXACTLY WHERE WE STARTED IN VERSE 3 – THESE GUYS LOOKING TO STONE SOMEONE!
WE HAVE COME FULL CIRCLE – THE PHARISEES CAME AGAINST GOD, HE CHALLENGED AND CONVICTED THEM, THEY MOMENTARILY RESPOND, BUT AS SOON AS HE SEEKS TO EXERCISE HIS LORDSHIP OVER THEM, THEY PICK THE STONES BACK UP AND COME AFTER HIM AGAIN.
IT STARTS WITH A POTENTIAL STONING AND ENDS WITH A POTENTIAL STONING.
THEY REFUSE TO CHANGE – TO RESPOND TO CHRIST IN THE RIGHT WAY.
HERE IS MY QUESTION FOR US TODAY-
ARE WE A BUNCH OF STONERS?
CONVICTION IS NOT REPENTANCE!
How often are we just like these Pharisees that will continue with our own self-driven agenda, no matter how God convicts and challenges us?
HOW WILL WE RESPOND TO GOD?
I BEG YOU TODAY – DON’T BE A STONER!
